Fluid-pressure motor



Feb. 18, 1930.`

A. J. ABELS FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed Alpril 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet PWS, Nw, 5%

Feb. 18, 1930. A.`J. ABELs FLUID PRES SURE MOTOR Filed April 28, 1926 v 2 sheets-sheet UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PatentedliFeb. 18, 1930 i f i ALOYSIUS J. ABELS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO HANDI-APPLIANCE CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FLUID-PRESSURE MOTOR Application filed `.April 28, 1926. Serial No. 105,292.

y This invention relates to a fluid pressure l F igure'l is a vertical longitudinal section l` motor for a washing'machine which is opof a iiuid operated motor embodying my im- Vverated by means of fluid pressure such as the provements.

water` pressure taken from a city water sup- Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the valve 5 plypfaucet and which is more particularly in- -mechanism taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1. 55

tended for washing small articles or cloth- Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on an ing and the like. enlarged scale, taken on lineS-S, Fig. 2

The principaldifticulty which has heretoand looking forwardly. fore been experienced with machines of this Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but character is that the valve mechanism was showing the `valve shifting pistons nearing 60 not sensitive and wouldl not respond readily the end of the stroke to the right and about and reliably to the pressure of the water. In to trip the valve mechanism'so as to reverse the present case the valve operating mechathe water pressure; nism 'is very sensitive and operates very Figure 5 is a similar view showing the quickly and reliably in shifting the valve valve mechanism completely reversed from 65 near the opposite ends of the stroke of the the position shown in Fig. 1. pistons. f Figure 6 is a horizontal section similar to The method of mounting the valve also Fig. 2 but showing the valve mechanism rerelieves the same from undue pressure of versed and taken on line 6 6, Fig. 5.

the water inthe valve chamber so that the Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on line 70 valve is not liable to stick against its seat 7-7, Fig. 6 and showing the valve tappets and fail to operatewhen anv abnormal presof the valve mechanism reversed as comsure lof water is exerted against the same. .pared withk the position shown in Fig. 8.

Such abnormal pressure of water is apt to Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line occur when nov water is used elsewhere in the 8 8, Fig. l. 75

' building, such for example inan apartment Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on line house, or if a number of `tenants kat the same 9-9, Fig. 8. f time turn off the water andthereby cause a Figure `1O.is a vertical section taken on sudden increase in pressure on the valve line 10-10, Fig. 5. mechanism' ofl the respective washing ma- Y Figure 11 ris a horizontal section taken `on 80 chine. line 11-11, Fig. 8. 4 Y v Moreover this washing machine as a Whole Figure 12 is a perspective view ofthe fluid f vhas no delicate parts which are liable to get pressure Areversing valve.

out of order, all of its several parts are readi- Figure 13 is ay fragmentary section simily accessible for inspection, cleaning and lular to Fig. 8, showing a modification of the 85 ylorication and the same are arranged commeans for holding the main shaft against pactly so as to occupy a minimum/space which longitudinal movement.

permits of using the same in smaller quar- Figure lll is a fragmentary section of the ters and also stowed away conveniently when central part of the tube forming the passages 1 40 not in use. tothe 'ends of the cylinders. 9o

Itis the' object of this invention to pro- Similar characters of reference indicate vide a machine ofthis character which is like parts in the several views. comparatively simple in construction, elfi- Although this fluid operated motor may *cient in operation, low inv cost of manufacbe utilized for operating any part which reture and capable of working with a minimum quires oscillation,v the same is shown 1n the 95 pressure without liability of getting out'of present case in connection with the rocking order or ceasing toy function when the presdrum 23 of a washing machine which is prosure of the iiuid under which it operates vided atone end with a trunnion 28 which changes from one degree to another. turns in a bearing 30 on the adjacent wall 19 'p50 In the accompanying drawings: of a casing or tank, which bearing formed 100 on a frame 70 is arranged outside of the casing and connected therewith by screws 71 passing through washers 73 interposed between the casing and the frame, as shown in Fig. 11.

'ihe drum is oscillated in the tank by a fluid pressure motor which is constructed as follows: f

The numeral 31 represents a rock shaft j o'urnaled .in an o-.itwardy extension of the bearing-" and provided at its inner end with a longitudinal slot 32 forming a coupling fork which receives the flat surfaces 33 on the trunnion so that the same in effect forms a key or flat tang,and at its outer end the saine is provided with'a pinion 34 which meshes with a horizontally reciprocating gear rack 35. This shaft is free to turn in the bearing 30 but is held against lengthwise movement therein by means of a key 7 3- having preferablythe form of a plate which is detachably secured to the tank end wall 19 by means of two of the screws 71 and engaging this key with the upper part of an annular groove 74 in the periphery of the` shaft adj acent to the outer end of the longitudinal slot 32 therein, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In these vfigures of the drawings the key is arranged on the outer side of the tank, but in Fig. 13 the saine is arranged on the inner side of the tank, the function in both cases however being the saine. At opposite ends this gear rack is provided with pistons 36 which reciprocate in cylinders 37 38 formed on the frame 70. Vater under pressure from any source, such as from the faucet of a kitchen sink, isadmitted alternatelyy to the outer ends ofthe cylinders 37 and 33k and also exhausted alternately from these cylinders for the -purpose of producing a reciprocatingeffect on nthe gear rack 35.

TWater for this purpose is supplied by a Apipe or hose 39. to a valve chamber 40 which latter is arranged lon the frame O below the gear pinion and the opposing inner'ends of the motor cylinders and has a main or pressure port 41 leading by means of a conduit 42to theouter endof the cylinder 37, a main or pressure port 43 leading` by a conduit 44to the outer end of the cylinder 38, and an exhaust port 45 between the ports 4l and 43.. The pressure ports 41,

43 are alternately connected with thevalve -@chamber 40 and with the exhaust port 45 by means of a slidevalve 46 which is constructed in the form ofa cup and moves with its hollow er concave side in engagement withy a valve seat 47 on therear side of the valve chamber. The front section or wall of the valve chamber is removably connected by screws 7 6 with the rear part of this chamber, and the hose 39 supplying the fluid under pressure is connected with the lower part of this wall, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. In Figure 2 the valve 46 is shiftedl tc the right so as to connect the left pressure port 41Iwith the valve chamber and admit water under pressure to the outer end of the cylinder 37 and at the saine time the exhaust port 45'is connectedwith the right pressure port 4 3 leading to the outer end of the cylinder 33 so as to permit the spent water inthe latter v toescape to a drain passage 43 which is arranged inthe frame in rear of the valve chainber and connects at its upper end with the exhaust port while its lower lend connectsV with va hose 7 7 leading to the drain or sink.

The distributing conduits 42, 44 are preferably formed by means of a small tube or pipe which is bent into shape and compressed at its center to form a partition 73 which separates the tube into two sections constituting the conduits 42, 44 and then placing the pipe or tube in the mold in which the casting isV produced constituting theframe and cylin ders. bedded in the casting the latter is bored or drilled to form the pressure ports 41,` 43 leading from the valveseat to theinner ends of the tube sections, and the casting `and coinpressed partition or central `part 7 3 of this tube is bored to form the exhaust port 45 After this tubev has beeny thus ein- Y leading from the valve seat to the upper end of the drain passage 43.

The valve 46 is yieldingly held against its seat by means cf a slotted spring bar or plate 49 which receives a stein or pin 50 projecting forwardly from this valve,as shown in Figs. l, 2v and 8. v

Inorder to prevent the fluid under pressure in the valve chamber from pressing the valve against its seat so heavily as to interfere with its free movement this valve is made of horizontally elongated form as shown best in Fig. 12, and made of a width substantially the saine as the guide bar or plate 49 so that the latter covers the valve and protects the same against undue pressure, whereby easy and positive working of the valve is insured regardless of an abnormally high pressure in the valve chamber. The valve is retained in this position by providing the front side of the same around its stem or pin 50 with a fiat sided neck or shoulder 79 which works in the slot 30 or the plate 49v in the manner of a spline which prevents the valve from turning but permits the saine to move lengthwise. In Figure 6 the valve 46 is shown reversed oi' moved-tio the left so as to exhaust the spent water from the cylinder 37 and permit water under'pre'ssure to enter the cylinder The valve is shifted alternately into'v these positions by means of two valve tappets 51, 52 which are mounted on the rear endfof a horizontal rock shaftV 53, these tappets b eing spaced far enough apart so that an idle Ymotion occurs in the saine during which the izo f valve'remains at rest 'in either of its extreme positions, but when the pistons effect the last part of their motion in one direction figaa'zpei 'i offthelvalverand shiftthesame toward the leiit, asL shown: iniFig; 7, and when the'left tappet 5'2 movesv in the opposite direction the latter'wilfl engage the valve stem 50y on the otherside, as shown in Fig. 3 and move th 'valveint theopposite direction.

The rocking movement of the tappets 51 -and52 is effected by motion which isy derived .from the gear rack ,byy thek following 'lhe numeral 54'represents an upper trip rock lever which is pivoted eoncentrically with theaxisf ofk the gear pinion. 35, and 55 represents a lower main rock lever' which is secured tothe front end of the shaft 53 of f the tappets. The upperl or trip lever 54 is j:preferablypivoted'fon a pin 81 on -the kfront endof the gear pinion shaft by means of a bushing or ferrule 82j inserted in this lever f and turning on this pin, thereby obtaining 'Teo ` an increased bearing surface yand. insuring longer wear. The outer arms of the upper andi lower levers'are connected by means of a spring 56 and the inner arms thereof are connected by means of a coupling pin 57 which is adapted to slide lengthwise in slots 58, 85 in thel opposing inner arms of the levers 54 'and 55 and also projects through a longi- .front plate '60, these platesV being spaced apart and secured at their ends to the front side of the gear rack, as shown in Figs. 8 and 11.

In Figure 1 the pistons are at the left of the cylinders and the outer arms of the rock levers 54 and 55 are swung to the right and retained in this position by means of the Y spring 56, and the valve 46 is at the right end of its movement at which time'the water underpressure is admitted to the left cylinder 37 and the spent water is exhausted from the right cylinder 38". The parts of the valve mechanism remain in this position until the pistons have moved far enough to the right to vcause the left hand end of the slot 59 actingas a tappet to engage the shifting pin 57 and carry the same from the left hand rside of the kdead center of the valve mechanism i to' a point slightly beyond the dead center inthe opposite direction, as shown in Fig. k4i YWhen thisvoccurs the outer arms of the 'rock' levers 54, 55 havebeen carried beyond the dead center to the right, whereupon the rresilience of this spring 56 quickly completes the throw of the levers 54 and 55 in this direction andr carries the coupling pin 57 away from they left hand tappet endof the slot 59 Vvand causes the tappetv 51 te engageA with the valve stem andI move the valve into its extremeleft hand position, as shown in Figs.

5, 6y and 7, whereby the flowk of the live andy dead pressure medium is reversed so that the pistons will be moved from right to left and the gear rack and pinion are caused to turn the drum in the opposite direction.

During the first part of the subsequent motion of the pistons and rack from right to left no effect is produced on the valve mechanism and the valve remains at rest, due to the spacing apart of the tappets at opposite ends of the slotl 59, but during the last part of this movement ofthe pistons the rock levers 54 and 55 are turned so that theirouter arms swingtoward the right due to the right hand end of the slot 59 acting as a tappet against the coupling pin 57 and thereby strain the spring 56. Vhen these levers have moved slightly beyond the dead center toward vthe right thisspring 56 again completes the throw of these levers 54, independently of the kgear rack and by quick motion, thereby causing the tappet 52 to shift the valve in the opposite direction and again reverse the flowV of the water under pressure and the exhaust water so as to cause the drum to be rocked in the opposite direction. By spacing apart the tappets 51, .52 the period of time during which the valve may remain at rest is extended without making the slot 59 unduly long and also without requiring the pistons and gear rack to travel so far as would make the apparatus unnecessarily wide and bulky. This operation is repeated continuously and a rocking motion is imparted to the drum so long as the water is turned on. The krocking movement of the levers may be limited in any suitable manner, for example by stops 86, 86 arranged on the front wall of the valve casing and adapted to be engaged by the main rock lever as shovvn in Fig. 6.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fluid pressure motor comprising a gear pinion, a reciprocating gear rack meshing withfsaid pinion, pistons arranged on said rack, a frame provided with cylinders which receive said pistons, a conducting tube arranged in said frame and composed of two sections communicating at their outer ends i-th the corresponding ends of said cylinders and the central part of said tube being pressed together to forma partition between said tube sections and the inner ends of said sections being provided with openings, a valve chamber arranged on said frame and provided with an inlet for a pressure medium, main ports communicating with said openings and an exhaust port, and a slide valve arranged in said valve chamber and connecting said main ports alternately with said valve chamber and said exhaust port'.

2. A fluid pressure motor comprising ya gear pinion,- a reciprocating gear rack meshing with said pinion, pistons arranged on y said rack, a iframe provided with cylinders which receive said pistons, a conductingr tube arranged in said frame and composed of two sections communicating `at their outer ends with the corresponding ends of said cylinders and the central part otsaid tube being pressed together to form a partition between said tube sections andthe inner ends of said sections beino orovided with c eninvs a valve chamber arranged on said trame and provided with lan inlet for a. pressure medium,

main ports communicating with said openings and an exhaust port, and a slide valve arranged in said valve chamber and connecting said main' ports alternately with said valve chaniberfand said exhaust port, said compressed part of the tube being provided with ya transverse opening forming part of an exhaust passage which communicates with said exhaust port.

3. A iiuid pressure motor comprising a gear pinion, a gear rack meshing with said pinion, pistons arranged on said gearl rack,

' oppositeY directions, a main rock lever connected with said'tappets and having inner and outerarms, a trip lever having inner and outer arms, widely spaced apart tappets on said gear rack adapted to shift said levers in opposite directions, vand a. spring connecting the outer arms ot said levers.

4. A fluid pressure motor comprising a Vgear pinion, a gear rackl meshing with said pinion, pistons arranged onsaid gear rack, cylinders which receive said pistons, a valve chamber having an inlet for a pressure niedium, main ports communicating with the opposite ends of said cylinders and an exhausty port, a slide valve arranged in the valve chamberand adaptedY to connect said main ports alternately with said valve chamber and said exhaust port, and means for shitting said valve comprising a pairof spaced valve tappets adapted to shift said valve in oppositeV directions, a main rock lever connected with said tappets and having inner and outer arms, a trip lever having inner and outer arms, the inner arms ot said levers having longitudinal slots, a'pin passing through said slots, spaced lever tappets arranged on said rack bar and adapted to engage opposite sides of said pin, and a spring connecting the outer arms of said levers. f Y

Shia.k

5. A Huid pressure motor comprising a Ygear pinion, a.v gear racksmeshing With said ychamber and adapted to connect said main ports alternately with said yvalve chamber ing said valve coinprisinga pair Aof spaced valve tappets adapted to shift said valvevin opposite directions, a Vmain rock lever con-V nected with said tappets and liavingfinner and outer arms, av tripv lever having inner and outer arms, theinner armsof said levers vhaving longitudinal slots, a,y pin: passing through said slots, spaced lever tappets arranged on said rack bar rand adapted to engage opposite sides of said pin, afspringr connecting the outer arms of saidlevers and a guide for said pinion and said gear rack.

6. A l'luid pressure motor comprising a gear pinion, a gear rack meshing with said pinion, pistons arranged on said gear rack, cylinders which receive said pistons, a valve chamber having anV inlet Jfor a pressure mediuin1 main` ports communicating with the opposite ends oi' said cylinders aiidan eX- liaust port, a slide valve arranged iii the valve chamber and adapted to connect said'main ports alternately withsaid valve chamber and said exhaust port, and means for sliiting said valve comprising a pair of spaced valve tappets adapted to shift said valve in opposite directions, a main rock lever connected with saidtappets and having inner and outer arms,- a trip lever having inner and outer arms, the innerl arms o' said levershavsaid slots, spaced lever tappets arranged on said rack bar and adapted to engage opposite sides of said pin, a kspring connecting the outer arms'of said levers and a bararranged lengthwise on said-,gear raclr'and-'provided 175 and said exhaust port, and means tor shiit- '105 ing longitudinal slots, a pin passing through said'pin and the ends of' i haust'port, aslide valve arranged in the 'l valve chamber and adapted tol connect said main ports alternately with said valve chamber and said exhaust port, and provided with an outward projection, a guide bar provi-ded kwith a longitudinal slot which receivesy said projection, and means for shifting said valve by motion derived from said gear rack. l

'8'. A fluid pressurey motor comprising a gear pinion', a gear rack meshing With said pinion, pistons arranged on said gear rack,

y cylinders Which receive said pistons, a valve chamber having an inlet for a pressure medium, main ports communicating With the opposite ends of said cylinders and anexhaust port, a slide valve arranged in the valve chamber and adapted to connect said main ports alternately with said valve chamber and said exhaust port, andtprovided With an v'outward projection, a spring guide bar mounted in the valve chamber and receiving said projection and holding said valve re- 'siliently against the surface of said chamber containing said ports and provided with a slot Which receives said projection, and means for shiftingy said valve cooperating With said gear rack and said projection.

9. A uid pressuremotor comprising a gear pinion, a gear krack meshing with said y pinion, pistonsarranged on said gear rack, cylinders Which receive said pistons, a valve leverhaving inner and outer arms and pivoted concentrically with said gear vpinion and its shaft, means engaging the inner arms of said levers for shifting the saine by motion derived from said rack, and a spring connecting the outerv arms of said levers.

l0. A fluid pressure motor comprising a levers after they have beenmoved past the dead cent In testimony whereof I hereby aiiX my signature.

gear pinion, a' gear rack meshing With said pinion, pistons arranged on said gear rack, cylinders which receive said pistons, a valve chamber having an inlet for a pressure medium, main ports communicating With the 'opposite ends ofsaid cylinders and an eX- haust port, a slide valve arranged in the valve ychamber and adapted to connect said main ports alternately With said valve chamber and said exhaust port, and'means for shiftf ing said valve 'comprising a pair of spaced v,valve tappets adapted to shift said valve in opposite directions, a rock shaft carrying at its rear end said valve tappets, amain rock lever connected vvithjthe front end of said rock shaft and having inner and outer arms, `atrip lever pivoted concentrically With said gear pinion and having inner and outer arms,

means for producing a limited yslidingconnection .between the inner arms of said 1evers and said gear rack, and a spring connecting the outer arms of said levers and operating to quickly kcomplete the throw of said ALOYSIUS J. ABELS. 

